Amusement device.



W. R. GRAHAM.

AMUSEMENT DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.4,1912.

1,077,340. Patented Nov. 4, 1913.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM R. GRAHAM, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR TOHATTIE B. GRAHAM, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

AMUSEMENT DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 4, 1913.

Application filed November 4, 1912. Serial N 0. 729,402.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM R. Gnu-mm, acitizen of the United States, and resident of Washington, in theDistrict of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Amusement Devices; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, forming part of this, specification, and tothe figures and letters of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to amusement devices and is designed with theobject of providing an attractive and interesting device, particularlyfor the amusement of juveniles.

Primarily the device is one adapted to be held in the hand and embodyinga plurality of rotary members journaled one within the other, and withtheir axes offset, but preferably all intersecting at a common center,whereby the rotary members may rotate simultaneously in differentintersecting planes and in different directions.

Referring to the accompanying drawings,-Figure 1 is an elevation of anamusement device embodying the present'invention; Fig. 2 is a detailView on an enlarged scale with parts broken away and in section toillustrate the construction of the pivotal connections between theseveral parts. F ig. 3 is an elevation illustrating a slightly modifiedarrangement of the pivots.

Like letters of reference in the figures indicate the same parts.

The frame of the device is conveniently and by preference formed of asingle length of wire, the two end'portions A constitutin arms whichdiverge from each other and have their extremities A bent into a singleline and directed each toward the other. As shown, the intermediateportion of the wire which constitutes the frame is formed into a handleB, although it is obvious that a handle of any ordinary construction maybe applied to the intermediate portion of the frame, as is usual in manytools and implements adapted to be held in the hand of the user.

For imparting rigidity to the frame the portions of the wire at thebases of the diverging arms A are preferably connected together, as bysolder or other fastening means at C.

The extreme ends of the arms A, A, are reduced in diameter so as to formpivots or journals a upon which there is mounted a ring D, which ring isof such diameter that it may freely revolve on the pivots withoutinterference with the arms A or any fixed portion of the device whichwould interfere with its free rotation. The ring is conveniently formedof wire corresponding to the wire from which the frame is formed, .saidwire being provided with diametrically opposite openings or bearings 03,for the reception of the journals a.

In addition to the bearings 03 the ring D is also provided withdiametrically opposite seats for inwardly projecting studs or journalpins E, the location of said seats being usually at right angles to thebearings 03 before referred to, but they may be at any desired angle,for example, as shown in F ig. 3, where they are diagonally disposedwith relation to the axis of the ring. In order that the pins may beheld firmly without possibility of outward displacement, they aretapered as shown at c and seated firmly in the seats in the ring by asufficient outward pressure to insure their retention.

A second ring or annular body F is journaled on the pins 6, the bearingsf in which the ends of the pins e seat being extended only part waythrough the ring F, whereby the pins are prevented from any possibleaccidental displacement by inward movement, and at the same timerelatively loose bearings are provided which will permit the ring torotate freely.

In the device as thus constructed it is obvious that the two annularbodies or rings D and F may rotate freely in intersecting planes, and inthe same or opposite directions, and by mounting in the inner ring asuitable body which will be'attractive in appearance, a childs interestin the device may be greatly increased. Conveniently, a simple sphere isjournaled in the inner annular ring, F, such, for example, as thecelluloid ball G shown in the drawing, the axis of the ball being-atanangle to'the axis of-the ring F, usually, as shown, at rightangles tothe axis of the ring. A cheap and convenient way of mounting the-sphereis-to-Jform openings gthrough the ring F at diametri cally oppositepoints and to pass a pivot or small wire H through the sameand'ithrough; the sphere, so as to extend across the ring, ,andafter-the wire is inplace, portionsofi the, same intermediate the ring.andsides of the wall of the sphere are "flattened or offset "by; lateralpressure so as to form lateral en- *largements -h, whichenlargements-perform the dual function of retaining the pivot againstlongitudinal displacement in -.the ring, and of holdin thesphere-centralwithin the ring, there y preserving a practically uniform spacingbetween the sphere and-ring, whileperrnitting the parts to rotate=freelyand independently of each other.

The sphere or central body may flforni a rattle, for which purpose-shotor other'loose;

' bodies -may be located within'iujas is usual -i n rattles'forinfantile amusement.

With a device constructed as-hereinbefore described, it is'found' that asudden rotary movement imparted to the handle will cause the concentricbodies-to spin. The move-- ments of the handle sometimes causestheb'odies to spin in-the same direction and at other times in oppositedirections, the-c m-- 'bined 'movements of the parts producing opticaleffects which are both interesting an -amusing, thus making the deviceone which is exceedinglyattractwe and -well calculated 1 -to retaininterest in it for a long-period.

It will be noted that in"thefor'm of apparatus illustratedinthe drawingsand which is the preferredform,;the handle B is of; greater effectivedimension transversely in one direction than in the other and owing *tothis characteristic the"handle,'when held between the thumb and fingerwith thegreatest dimension in the-line-of pressure,

' may be causedto snap into a position-with the pressure in thegeneral-minor transverse axis, the result-being that the movement isinaugurated and arrested suddenly. This result is very desirable inorder to secure the e'fi'ectivespinning or rotation of the parts,- andit can bebest secured only when the handle is of irregular shape'incross section or has major and minor axes transversely of the handle,'wherebythe gripping pressure applied-to the major axis will-result'in asudden starting-and stopping of the rotary movement.

Having thus described the invention, what 'I claim 'as new and desire tosecure by Let-' ters Patentof the United -States, is:

.luIn a toy adapted-to'be held in the vided with oppositely locatedinwardly directed pivots forming an :axis .at a wide angle from themajoraxis ofthe handle, an annular body journaled on said pivots atdiametrically. opposite points, and a second annular. body journaledsaid first mentioned annular body on peripheral pivots formingian axisdisposed at an angle to the axis of the first mentioned body, wherebythe-bodies may be brought into.. coi .ncide nt planes ,and are free torotate on their own axes in intersecting planes.

2. In a device of the class described, a handle having "divergent armsformed at their ends into oppositely disposed inwardly directed pivotsof less diameter-than the arms, a-i-inghaving :bea'rings-atdiametrically oppositepoints in which said pivots are journaled,}whereby' the ring. is permitted to rot-ate 'freely'between'thearms, a second ring located withinythe first mentioned ring andhavingpivot seats thereinat diametrically opposite points, :andoutwardly tapered pivot pin's mourited in the -outer ring and extendlninto the seats-in-the inner ring, -whereby oth outward-andinwarddisplace- -ment df qthe pivot pins is prevented and :the inner iing' is'freelysupported for rotation on its own axis independently iof 'theouter r ng.

331 1 -adevic e of the type described, a han'dleyprovide'd withoppositely disposed inwardly directedpivots; a ringhaving dia-:metrically opposite bearings for the reception of saidpivotswhereby theringis-joiir- "naledfor free rotation on theflhandlqa second ring'journaled-in the first mentioned ring 011 an-axjs at'an angle to theaxis of saidfirst'mentioned ring, and a body jour- -naledconcentricallywithin=-the second ring second ring, substantially asdescribed.

ing a jhandle having oppositelydocated, inwardly directed. pivots, aring j ournaled for free rotation on :said pivots, a second ringjourna-led'withinthefirst mentioned ring on an axis at an angle-tothe'axis of the 'first -menti -ned ring,thepivotpinsfor safid secondmentioned ring being prevented 'from 'moving longitudinally bytherespective rings, a body "ournaled within the inner ;ring, thepivotforsaid body being formed by a wire extending across 'thegring from sideto side and-'havi-ngportions' between the bddy-arid' ringtransversely'eirlarged to limit the longitudinal movement of the wire,and

' to limit 'the longitudinal movement-of the body on the'wire,whereby'the latter is'held central within the'ring, but' is free to-rotate.

5. In a toy-tobe h'eld 'in'thehand, the combination with concentric,member:

hand, 'a handlediav-1ng diverging arms pro-'- mounted on peripheralpivots *forming axes onan axis at'an angle to the axis of-the 1.4:. Adevice ofthetype described embody- I of a support on which said membersare pivference of the gripping pressure from the otally mounted,embodying a handle adaptmajor axis toward the minor axis, substaned tobe gripped between the thumb and tially as described.

fingers, said handle having major and minor WILLIAM R. GRAHAM.transverse axes whereby it is of greater Witnesses:

dimension in one direction transversely than ALEXANDER S. STEWART,

in the other and may be rotated by a trans- THOMAS DURANT.

